Slipway cradle, railing and all replaced

Published on 17 April 2024

The replacement of the Oamaru Harbour slipway cradle took place on Wednesday. This is one of the final parts of a renovation of the slipway, including the replacement of the rails that stretch alongside the Normanby Wharf. Concreting around the top-end of the slipway will improve the safety of the area for users.

The previous cradle, made from timber, was around 60 years old. Decay in the timber and general wear and tear increased the maintenance costs to the point that replacement was a better option. It had a maximum weight loading of 12 tonnes.

Its replacement is a steel construction, coated with a specialised paint that is commonly used for underwater pipelines to protect against saltwater corrosion. With appropriate maintenance, the community should get decades of use from the new cradle and slipway.

The new cradle has an increased load rating of 20 tonnes, allowing more commercial and recreational boats locally and from further afield to use the slipway.

The cost of the new cradle was around $60,000 with the total projected cost of the project set at $105,000 which it is on track for. The replacement will be self-funded, so fees for usage will be adjusted to cover all outgoings including maintenance and operating costs of the new cradle.

ENDS